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Anti- Woman Suffrage 
and Criticisms 




By 
R. C. WALSH, Ph. G., 



Price Ten Cents 



Anti- Woman Suffrage 
and Criticisms 




( 

By 
R! C. WALSH, Ph. G., 



Price Ten Cents 






£oi> 







OCT 23 1916 
©CU444520 



\l\ 



PREFACE 

JAM not writing this because it's a pleasure to me, 
for it is far from it; I dislike very much to criticize 
and ridicule people in such a manner, but I feel it 
my duty, and that there can be no further delay. ' 

This booklet is intended to call your attention to some 
reasons why women should not vote, and why men should 
not permit it. 

My argument is in the boldness of one who knows no fear. 

My object is to help visionize the world with women vot- 
ing and women rulers and the result here and hereafter, 
also to show men that they are wrong when they give up 
any of the ruling power. 

ROBERT C. WALSH, Ph. G. 
2403 N. 9th Street ST. LOUIS, MO. 

Mailed on receipt of 10c. One or two-cent postage stamps 
are acceptable. 

Copyright claimed. 



Anti- Woman Suffrage and Criticisms 

I don't want anyone to think I could not criticise men in many- 
ways other than herein contained. 

In this booklet I am trying to present my reasons for opposing 
"votes for women" in such a clear comprehensive manner that it will 
be impossible for any who have education enough to read to fail to 
understand even any part of it. 

I am not writing it for a class; it's for all. 

I expect to call your attention to bible references enough to con- 
vince you that to be an advocate of "votes for women" is evidence of 
disbelief in God, or that you do not know the bible. I also will 
attempt to show its injustice and absurdity and what evils we should 
expect of it from a worldly point of view. We nearly all fail to do any- 
where near the amount of good we should do, because we lack the 
necessary interest, or lack time after dealing with the problems of 
life which are forced upon us, or because we do not know where to 
find the information we need and would gladly accept if we could get 
it in a condensed form so time would permit us to grasp it. This 
booklet, I hope, will help people to see their duty, especially when 
voting on the woman suffrage question. I am not a highly educated 
writer with an abundance of time and experience, therefore I am 
forced to rely wholly upon the righteousness of the stand I am taking 
for results. Those who read this booklet studiously are almost sure 
to give the subject a great deal more thought in the future than they 
have in the past, and if the majority will only get the evidence in any 
case plainly before them and study it thoroughly, the verdict will not 
be far from right if they have a knowledge of the law necessary to 
make them capable judges. It is to get the evidence to you and the 
law governing the verdict that I am writing this. This is a time when 
the question of votes for women is being agitated very strongly by a 
comparatively small percentage of women, and if no one produces any 
of the abundant arguments there are against them, the average man 
who has not given it any thought will favor it because he wants to 
favor the women and he has an idea most of them are in favor of it, but 
such is not the case. The arguments of those who are, are as weak as 
drops of water falling upon a rock, but if they are kept up continu- 
ously there must be something done or either will have an effect, and 
now with the reasonableness of why women should not vote the men 
are to blame if they do. The men are to blame if women are legally 
allowed to do that which is not right regardless of what it is. A free 
government demands an intelligent citizenship for its support. Its place 
or standing depends upon the mental, physical and moral worth of its 



ANTI-WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND CRITICISMS. 

people, therefore I urge everybody to study hard. Do not waste time, 
for you never can recall it. Endeavor to be intelligent, for therein 
lies the keys to success. Some, of course, is attained by accident, but 
that's not the rule. We should not blame people for doing anything 
our laws permit. We should endeavor to have useless and detrimental 
laws repealed or remedied where they are faulty. No doubt we have 
laws that are worse than the evil they were intended to remedy or con- 
trol. If people do unjust things because of their ignorance they are 
not always to blame. The ones who know better and permit it are at 
fault and to blame in part or wholly. Our life work should be largely 
composed of endeavoring to enlighten people; to alleviate suffering; to 
eliminate discord and injustice. To eliminate one side of a question 
by means of a thorough investigation of all points bearing upon it if 
the question is in any way hampering humanity on the road to just 
prosperity or happiness is a noble deed. I have no sympathy 
as a rule for those who try to do it by force; enlightenment is 
the system. We should read a great deal, study the bible and his- 
torical literature of various kinds. Inform ourselves as to what is now 
being done and what has been done, and see who deserves credit fou 
the many blessings we now enjoy. The main source of education is 
our reading matter, that is, if we read, and it is next to impossible to 
be a good citizen unless we do. I believe books to be the most valu- 
able heritage we could receive and the most lasting and beneficial 
legacy we can leave. As education or learning gains a footing in our 
minds we notice unfounded ideas disappearing and we find ourselves 
turning our back on many destructive and disastrous parts of our for- 
mer life endeavoring to go ahead the faster. We find ourselves filled 
with a hope that the future may wrest successes from past mistakes 
and guesses. Unless we read a great deal, it's as impossible to be fair 
in our decisions on the problems that confront us as it would be for a 
jury to render a fair verdict without hearing the evidence or knowing 
the law governing the verdict. Therefore I plead with everybody to 
read this book because it deals with an important subject which is 
before us for a prompt decision. I will make it as short as I can for 
three reasons: First, it will not take much of your time; second, it 
reduces the cost, and third, I am engaged otherwise. By making it 
short more people will read it. Ignorance is the mother of careless- 
ness; neglect of duty, and misdirected energy. Education; I don't 
mean by education just the little we get in schools or school books. 
We must add to that the knowledge that is to be gained by reading 
our newspapers and publications of various kinds, and don't fail to 
study the bible. If we will do this we will find that we are more 
prone and able to detect wrong and less able to resist the desire to 
down it. 2 Tim. 2:15: Study to show thyself approved unto God, a 



ANTI-WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND CRITICISMS. 

workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of 
truth. 

Eccl. 12:13, in part: Fear God and keep his commandments; for 
this is the whole duty of man. 

The dangerous person is not the one who tries to excite discon- 
tent; discontentment, backed up by true manliness; education and de- 
termination is sure to improve conditions, for it brings subjects to our 
notice in a forceful manner, and the natural result is eventually to 
improve conditions even if the agitator was entirely wrong, for en« 
lightenment is the great rectifying and unity-producing power, and 
when the agitator is wrong it is sure to bring out some of the opposing 
force. People are not all so easy that they will be scared into doing 
things they are sure is wrong. We can plainly see that our politicians 
are playing the game for votes as hard as they can, and most of them 
are very much in hopes the people will keep women out of politica 
while they have to work for them in order to (as they think)' get a 
few more votes and keep things running smooth for themselves. The 
dangerous ones are those who say what is to be will be, and there is 
no use wasting energy and time trying to improve things. We should 
be very careful to see to it that we are not trying to improve by pro- 
moting something that is forbidden in God's word. For such a course 
is doomed for failure. I will now give some bible references which 
are worthy of careful study before voting on woman suffrage amend- 
ment: 

1. Peter 3:1-5, inclusive: Likewise ye wives, be in subjection to 
your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may 
without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; 

2. While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear; 

3. Whoso adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting 
the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 

4. But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not 
corruptable, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in 
the sight of God of a great price; 

5. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, 
who trusted in God, adorned themselves being in ..subjection unto their 
own husbands. St. Matthew 5:5: Blessed are the meek; for they shall 
inherit the earth. 

If women could only abound with Godliness (meekness, love, 
patience, and kindness) they would get everything in this world that 
is possible for them to get to make them happy, with no further 
effort, for the inheritance is promised in God's word and it's the nat- 
ural result of a woman's kindness to man if it's within the man's 
power. 

7 



ANTI-WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND CRITICISMS. 

Proverbs 12:11: He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with 
bread; but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding. 

Do we not understand what is written in the above portion olj 
God's word? Are our women not following vain persons enough to 
show what God thinks of their ability to understand; especially the 
type who are clamoring for a legal right to vote? Proverbs 12:1: A 
virtuous woman is a crown to her husband; but she that maketh 
ashamed is as rottenness in his bones. Prov. 31:10-31 inclusive, tells 
us what is meant by "a virtuous woman": (10) Who can find a virtu- 
ous woman, for her price is far above rubies. (11) The heart of her 
husband doth safely trust in her so that he shall have no need of spoil. 
(12) She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. (13) 
She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. 

(14) She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. 

(15) She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her 
household, and a portion to her maidens. (16) She considereth a field, 
and buyeth it; with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. 

(17) She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengthened her arms. 

(18) She perceiveth that her merchandise is good; her candle goeth 
not out by night. (19) She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her 
hands hold the distaff. (20) She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; 
yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. (21) Sue is not afraid of 
the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with 
scarlet. (22) She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing 
is silk and purple. (23) Her husband is known in the gates, when he 
sitteth among the elders of the land. (24) She maketh fine linen, and 
selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. (25) Strength 
and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. 
(26) She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the 
law of kindness. (27) She looketh well to the ways of her household, 
and eateth not the bread of idleness. (28) Her children arise up and 
call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. (29) Main- 
daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. (30) 
Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman that feareth the 
Lord she shall be praised. (31) Give her of the fruit of her hands and 
let her own works praise her in the gates. 

The above description of the daughter that excellest all the virtu- 
ous daughters shows that woman is 'expected to lend a helping hand 
instead of being a burden to her husband. If they would only be will- 
ing to do their part at home and quit their expensive customs, men 
could afford to get married and have families, and naturally there 
would not be so many single people, both men and women, looking for 
free love and companionship on the installment plan. I believe that 
the wearing of good clothing is not displeasing to God as long as the 

8 



ANTI-WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND CRITICISMS. 

design indicates good judgment; for health, comfort, neatness and 
modesty, and not after vain fashion. 

We soon tire of the design of the height of style or fashion of any 
time, because it is so ridiculously absurd that after it has passed, one 
would wonder how any had ever decided to wear such; naturally it 
soon vanishes and makes room for another, which, perhaps, is no bet- 
ter, but is accepted because many women seem to think they would 
rather be dead than out of style, thus they keep up the vain extrava- 
gance. 

We don't get tired of the looks of a bird, or an animal, and think 
they are a back number, because they get a new suit just like the one 
they just wore out. Oh, no, we admire their new suit every time, and 
it really looks beautiful because the harmonious design and its color 
or colors are as God wanted them. Fashion is only a name for on© 
branch of folly or foolishness. The reason for it is, it affords a means 
for some business people to gain wealth through the folly practiced by 
others who are full of vanity. 

Prov. 14:1: Very wise woman buildeth her house, but the foolish 
plucketh it down with her hands. 

Are not the women who are spending money and time in an effort 
to gain a legal right to vote, plucking their houses (homes) down b&r 
squandering money and time in their effort which seems to indicate 
they are blind to everything else, and their reasons for wanting it are 
absurd? If they are finally granted that privilege it can not be other- 
wise than a continuous increased cost of elections and greatly in- 
creased troubles in homes with election results about the same. Can 
not the God-loving, well-informed people all say thoughtfully that the 
class of women such as are clamoring for votes are an undesirable 
class? Usually no benefit to their home and family and a menace to 
the best interests of humanity. The clothing and acts of people por- 
tray their ability to think. Matt. 7:20: Therefore by their fruits ye 
shall know them. 

Can women say with a clear conscience they want to vote in order 
that the political slate may be purified when they show in all their 
dealings that they are as prone, or more so, than men, to resort to 
unfair tactics in order to make things go the way they want them? I 
have before me a St. Louis paper which gives an account of a meeting 
held in Columbia, Mo., last spring. It states suffrage O. K.'d by moth- 
ers in political trick. According to that report, Mrs. G. F. Decker 
catches Columbia delegates "asleep at switch." 

At that convention of the Mothers' Congress and the Parent- 
Teachers Organization, their leader, Mrs. G. F. Decker, President of 
the Woman's Council of Webster Groves, supplied a demonstration of 
what she is willing to resort to in an effort to have her way when she 



ANTI-WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND CRITICISMS. 

caused the passage of a resolution indorsing equal suffrage in the 
face of strong opposition. This is the way it was done: Mrs. Decker 
introduced her resolution. Her opponents declared it out of order, 
contending that the convention's interest centered in "better mothers 
and better babies," so she dropped the subject and just before the 
-close of the meeting she moved the passage of several pending resolu- 
tions. The motion carried and it was a day or two before the opposi- 
tion discovered that the suffrage resolution was included among them. 
Now, if a woman who, as I infer, is a member of the W. C. T. U., will 
resort to such unfair tactics, where can we expect to find women to 
elevate politics? 

In another paper, under the heading "Diamond Ring for Best Dry 
Oration by Child," we find the W. C. T. U. working for equal suffrage 
in the feature of that occasion entitled "Uncle Sam's Wash Day." It 
looks like many women of today are unable to think or do anything 
without having a woman suffrage demonstration, and they even go so 
far as to continuously annoy our President and high government 
officials at all times, even when very important questions are facing 
them and must be attended to without delay. Such actions display 
the same amount of judgment that a child would display by insisting 
on its mother answering questions about doll clothing while the 
mother is attempting to extinguish a fire that is threatening to destroy 
their home. Is that the kind of voters we need? 

I inquired of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch some time ago, what 
state or states of this U. S. A., if any, has disfranchised women after 
they had been granted that privilege? Why and how they did it? 1 
infer from the answer under the heading, "Where Women Vote," in 
the column Answers to Queries, that the informant is strongly in favor 
of woman suffrage. The remark that twelve states and Alaska have 
had sufficient sense of justice to give women the ballot fully makes It 
appear as though the informer has a great deal of contempt for a 
person or state that is so lacking in sense of justice as to withhold the 
ballot from women. I did not ask for a personal opinion, but I do want 
to thank the informant for the great amount of information. I also am 
glad that little bit of caustic personal opinion was included, for iti. 
opens the way for more information and right will win if we can only 
get all the evidence clearly before the people. The informant also 
said no state has been so lacking in justice as to repeal a woman 
suffrage enactment. I hope the answers are usually correct, but that 
one evidently is not. I will now answer it myself: The State of New 
Jersey in 1807 repealed the equal suffrage enactment after an election 
was held in February of that year. At that election the women did so 
much fraudulent voting that the whole election had to be set aside as 
illegally conducted. Women had been permitted to vote if they had a 

10 



ANTI-WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND CRITICISMS. 

certain amount of property. The ballot was given them by an act of 
July 2, 1776, but it seems they did not vote at all until after 1790, and 
very little until 1800 and later. 

I take it for granted that the writer of the answers to my ques- 
tions is a believer in God. If so, is it not our plain duty to obey his' 
commands? We ishould try to evade the wrath of God, which is for 
the children of disobedience spoken of in the fifth chapter of 
Ephesians, sixth verse: Let no man deceive you with vain words, for, 
because of these, cometh the wrath of God upon the children of dis- 
obedience. 

Let us not be in a hurry about accusing God of being unjust or 1 
that he thoughtlessly overlooked important matters or that he did 
things by guess. We should stop long enough to ask ourselves, Why 
is it God, in his dealings with mankind and seeing women in th|e 
servile condition of centuries ago, did not raise a protest? Do you 
think he was unjust or insane or that he could not have made the 
female as strong or stronger than the male? He expects us to use the 
brains he has given us, and he also expects us to strive to convert 
people in all lands to the extent that what Jesus Christ told us to pray 
for would come to pass. Jesus instructed us to pray to God for hid 
kingdom to come and his will be done on earth as in heaven. 

Shall we say Jesus did not know what he was talking about? Do 
you think we should pray for it and not work for it? 

God from the beginning has placed the authority in the man's 
hands and is looking to the man to rule, and has shown that the 
woman's place is a place of meekness and subjection. God has given 
the man superior strength; he also has given him the inventive mind 
and something like equal numbers, so he would have no reasonable 
excuse for not ruling, and I belteve service is what he wants and ex- 
pects and not excuses. 

I am calling your attention to these things because I believe it 
very necessary to heed them. We are being pushed away from God 
because of ignorance and the blinding and forceful influence of the 
stampede for fame, fortune and power. There is more good, as a rule, 
in the things advocated by people we call cranks or fanatics than the 
ones who have not studied along that line thinks there possibly could 
be, for they have studied it and estimated the natural results to b^ 
expected from such conditions, and they are able and anxious to ex- 
plain the whole matter in a clear comprehensive manner. Not like the 
unfounded arguments of suffragists, such as the remark that we 
(suffragists) know there is something in voting, or the men would not 
be so anxious to keep it all to themselves, as though it was a spirit of 
selfishness (instead of because it is proper and right) that prompts men 
to endeavor to keep women out of politics. It appears to me that it 

11 



ANTI-WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND CRITICISMS. 

would be impossible to find where men bave done anything in a spirit 
of selfishness, or discrimination against women from the time of Adam 
to the present time. Where is the judgment or spirit of justice in an 
accuser when there is no evidence to substantiate their claims? We 
should not expect human beings to be absolutely perfect, nor should 
we expect all women to have the voice and charitable heart of Melba; 
the talent of Paderewski; the grace of a sylph; the figure of Venus; 
the vivacity of a coryphee; eyes like the soft glow of the moonlit eve; 
an alabaster complexion; virtues unreproachable; the charm of Cleo- 
patra; the meekness of Moses; the patience of Job; the forbearance 
of Lazarus; the zeal of a Trojan; the constancy of the sun; the capa- 
bilities of a charwoman; the purse of the late Hetty Green, and hair 
of her own. It would be too much to expect a paragon like that, but 
we should make the best use possible of our gifts and capabilities and 
expect the same of others. 

There is a great deal of scripture to support the contention of 
those who oppose "votes for women," also to show both men and 
women, some of their rights and duties, and we must not overlook the 
fact that both God and Jesus Christ gave their instructions to men 
principally. In other words, they put the men in charge of the affairs 
of the earth and it's their duty to serve. Jesus Christ according to 
St. Matthew, 22:37-39 inclusive, tells us the two great commandments 
are: first, Love God; second, Love thy neighbor as thyself. It is im- 
possible to not love if we have a mind. Love for this or that or many 
things causes us to act, and that act is proof of love. Our actions 
speak the most forceful language. 

Gen. 2:18: And the Lord God said, it is not good that the man 
should be alone; I will make him an helpmeet for him. 

Ask yourself what you would do if the boss of any job was to tell 
you, "Here is a helper for you," as you were about to start on a job of 
work; if that helper would not do enough to pay the cost of his or her 
board and clothing, and on top of that insist on the right to tell you 
just what was and what was not to be done, and said helper keep on 
increasing their expenses and decreasing their assisting qualities until 
you finally find said helper doing practically nothing except strive for 
the right to tell you what was to be done and how it should be done 
and who had it to do, but all this time you must stand the expense and 
take all the responsibility of said helper and everything else, nnd be 
expected to see to it that all is done on time and in order. Such is a 
word picture of many homes, especially where the wife is an advocate 
of woman suffrage. 

Gen. 3-16: Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy 
sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; 
and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. 

12 



ANTI-WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND CRITICISMS. 

Does that sound like equal rights or equal authority? Women 
can not spend time attending political and club meetings without cast- 
ing God's word aside as though it was meaningless, for if they do as 
God has commanded them to do they will have no time for club meet- 
ings; woman suffrage meetings, card parties and such like, for such is 
only misdirected energy; a wasting of time and money; a plucking 
down the home movement. 

Rom. 13:1-2: Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. 
For there is no power but of God; the powers that are ordained of 
God. Whosoever, therefore, resisteth the power, resisteth the ordi- 
nance of God; and they that resist shall receive to themselves damna- 
tion. 

Eph. 5:22-23-24: Wives, submit yourselves unto your own hus- 
bands as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even 
as Christ is the head of the church; and he is the savior of the body. 

Therefore, as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be 
to their own husbands in everything. 

I. Cor. 14:33-37 inclusive: For God is not the author of confu- 
sion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. 

Let your women keep silence in the churches; for it is not per- 
mitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under 
obedience, as also sayeth the law; And if they will learn anything, let 
them ask their husbands at home;, for it is a shame for women to 
speak in the church. 

What? Came the word of God out from you, or came it unto you 
only? If any man think himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him 
acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the command- 
ments of the Lord. 

I. Tim. 2 : 7-15 inclusive : Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and 
an apostle, I speak the truth in Christ and lie not a teacher of the Gen- 
tiles in faith and verity. 

8. I will therefore that men pray everywhere lifting up holy hands 
without wrath and doubting. 

9. In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest 
apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair or 
gold, or pearls, or costly array. 

10. But which becometh women professing godliness with good 
works. 

II. Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. 

12. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over 
the man, but to be in silence. 

13. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. 

14. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, 
was in the transgression. 

13 



ANTI-WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND CRITICISMS. 

15. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in child-bearing if they 
continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety. 

1. Tim., the entire third chapter: This is a true saying: If a 
man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. 

2. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, 
vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach. 

3. Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but 
patient, not a brawler, not covetous. 

4. One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in sub- 
jection with all gravity. 

5. For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he 
take care of the church of God? 

6. Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the 
condemnation of the devil. 

7. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are with- 
out; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. 

8. Likewise must the deacons be grave, not given to much wine, 
not greedy of filthy lucre. 

9. Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 

10. And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office 
of a deacon, being found blameless. 

11. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderous, sober, 
faithful in all things. 

12. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their 
children and their own houses well. 

13. For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to 
themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in 
Christ Jesus. 

14. These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee 
shortly. 

15. But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtes* 
to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living 
God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 

Titus 2:1-5 inclusive: But speak thou the things which become 
sound doctrine. 

2. That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in 
charity, in patience. 

3. The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh 
holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good 
things. 

4. That they may teach the young women to be sober, to lovef 
their husbands, to love their children. 

5. To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their 
own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. 

14 



ANTI-WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND CRITICISMS. 

Where do we find anything to indicate that woman authority is 
right? 

Prov. 18:22: Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing and ob- 
taineth favor of the Lord. 

Does the above mean to say when she is not a good thing for the 
man she is not a wife? Undoubtedly there are many women married 
who have never been a wife. 

I. Cor. 11:3: But I would have you know that the head of every 
man is Christ; and the head of the women is the man; and the head 
of Christ is God. 

I. Cor. 11:9: Neither was the man for the woman; but the woman 
for the man. 

I believe that if it was possible for everybody to study the woman 
suffrage question before voting on it, that it would be voted down so 
completely that it would be only a matter of history for a few genera- 
tions at least. The bible tells us the serpent induced Eve to eat of the 
forbidden fruit and thereby got its race into eternal trouble, and the 
human family as well, through allowing themselves to be persuaded to 
do contrary to God's instructions. Perhaps the human family could have 
resisted the temptation had it not been for the influence brought to bear 
upon Eve and Eve passing it on to Adam, but we find that God pun« 
ishes the ones exerting the persuasive influence and the yielder to 
that influence likewise, so it looks reasonable that men would give the 
subject of votes for women a great deal of study before they grant 
that privilege and thereby bring a repetition of the condemnation 
caused by the yielding to woman in the Garden of Eden. Beware off 
the persuasive eloquence of woman suffrage agitators. 

Are there many wives of the present time obeying the God-given 
instructions? Or are they looking at the temporary glittering, worldly 
things and people for their ideals with a hope that they will be able 
to wear the most costly apparel, the kind that is expensive and made 
in a manner to be as far as possible from serviceabe, durable or 
modest? Is the extravagant display of apparel an expression of her 
desire to impart to all who see her that sbe is very wealthy, and the 
unreasonable cut down from the top and perhaps up from the bottom 
of her clothing just as far as she dare in order to escape arrest in 
public places, an expression of her desire to lead men to do ungodly 
things, or is it lack of brains or lack of education? Regardless of why 
they do as they do they are not impressing me with the idea that they 
are entitled to a vote because of their superior intelligence or morality, 
specially as long as men have the bulk of the responsibility on them, 
why should women have a voice in business affairs and bear so little of 
the resulting burdens even if there was nothing in God's word to por- 
tray woman's place and duties? Jesus Christ did not try to evade suf- 

15 



ANTI-WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND CRITICISMS. 

fering even to the dying on the cross in order to be in accord with 
God's wishes. To be worthy of the name Christian we must be fol- 
lowers of his example as far as is possible. Jesus Christ also showed 
it was necessary or right at times to stop wrongdoers by force and 
explain to them later, for we find in St. John 2:13: And the Jews' 
passover was at hand and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 

14. And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and 
doves, and the changers of money sitting. 

15. And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove 
them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured 
out the changers' money and overthrew the tables. 

16. And said unto them that sold doves, take these things hence, 
make not my father's house an house of merchandise. 

Does the foregoing scripture not indicate that Jesus must have 
cleaned house in haste? When you remember that he poured out the 
changers' money, you must realize he put them out in great haste or 
they would not have left their money. Now, if we are to follow the 
example of Jesus Christ, what are we going to do with those who insist 
on doing as they please regardless of what God's word says and re-> 
gardless of what is reasonable? It looks reasonable to me to use any 
means necessary to force such ones out of places the bible forbids 
them to go and into their proper place, and we are failing to do our 
duty unless we do. 

NEW YORK, Sept. 12, 1916.— The Episcopal Church is considering 
steps by which it will be made impossible for divorced persons to be 
married by any clergyman of their denomination. A commission con- 
sisting of five bishops and an equal number of priests and laymen has 
recommended to the general convention, which meets in St. Louis in 
October, that the canon law of the church be changed so as even to 
include the innocent party to a divorce action from being remarried. 
The great increase in divorce cases is given as the reason, the com- 
mission being convinced more rigorous restrictions are necessary. 

Why do they not get after the cause in the form of working for 
laws that would aim at the ones that overstep their rightful bounds 
and those who fail to do their duty? Also have the church teach both 
men and women what is their reasonable duty and where their rights 
or authority stops, and what they are held responsible for and must 
manage. Failing to do their duty, coupled with the overstepping their 
authority, or one or the other, is what causes most divorces, and a 
great deal of this failing and overstepping is due to ignorance. There- 
fore, I would say teach men and women their duty and the children 
will get more training and environment of the right kind at home and 
not have so much to learn or suffer the consequences for not knowing 
after they are grown. It's plain to be seen that with increasing 

16 



ANTI-WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND CRITICISMS. 

woman authority we have proportionately increasing troubles, and it 
cannot be otherwise. God knew that everything must have one gov- 
erning head to each and every concern or establishment in order to 
evade friction; that is God's ordained way, and that should be suffi> 
cient reason for running them that way. God's instructions are the 
basis of success. We should heed the lessons learned by comparing 
the failures of man-made laws (which do not -conform to the laws of 
God) to produce satisfactory results and turn to God for guidance and 
use the motive power he has given us in unswerving loyalty to his com- 
mands, and we would practically have heaven on earth if all would 
do that one easy thing. 

Gen. 3:17: And unto Adam he said: Because thou hast heark- 
ened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I 
commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it; cursed is the 
ground for thy sake; in toil shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life. 
We see here that because Adam hearkened unto the voiee of his 
wife, and did contrary to God's instructions, he got the whole human 
family into serious trouble. Is this not a warning to men of today to 
do your duty and not allow your wives to talk you into doing ungodly 
things and thereby increase the troubles now and evermore? The child 
who does not obey its parents is almost sure to get into trouble and 
perhaps lose its life. Parents because of superior knowledge and love 
for their children, even in their human weakness, seldom give them 
bad advice. How much more reasonable it is that we should heed the 
advice of God, for just as sure as we are believers in God we cannot 
think of him making a mistake. 

The Revision Committee on the Protestant Episcopal Church 
prayer book is making an effort to have special prayers adopted at 
their convention here this month (October, 1916). The committee has 
prepared a special prayer for the President of the United States and 
the Governor of the state. There will be presented for adoption a 
prayer for Congress, a petition for the army, and another for the navy, 
intercession for the courts of justice, a prayer for "Our Country" and 
for the "State Legislature." The committee also has written a special 
prayer to be said on the Fourth of July. I heartily approve of those 
prayers, for no doubt they will help get the mind in the right channel 
and the result will be they will work for that which they are prayingf, 
The instruction as to what is right and wrong is one thing that is gen- 
erally neglected, and much needed knowledge which I hope people 
will get busy on, even if they do meet with strong opposition" on cer- 
tain points, as I know I will from many who read this booklet. We will 
find, as in all reform movements, that many who (like Paul tlhe 
Apostle) will work against the cause at first, but after due considera- 
tion will be strong advocates of the cause they once so bitterly opt 

17 



ANTI-WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND CRITICISMS. 

posed. Suicides increased here in St. Louis, according to Coroner 
Padberg's report; in the year 1914 there were 178; 1915 there were 274. 
Can we not all see that the increase in murders, suicides, divorces and 
family troubles in general is largely due to woman authority, combined 
with unjust favors shown women in the courts and in our laws? Why 
not try God's plan and place godly and just restrictions on women? 
How often are women punished for bigamy? Is it not a fact that 
women can have two or three husbands and escape lawful punish" 
ment? How about Mrs. Maggie Hill of Oklahoma City, Okla., filing 
suit to divorce one man for nonsupport and asks the annulment of a 
marriage to another at the same time? It's not necessary to leave St. 
Louis to find them with two husbands. A man under similar circum- 
stances would be given a penitentiary sentence. Still many women 
feel like they are unjustly treated and deprived of their rights when 
the fact is they are favored at all points. 

There was quite a display here this last summer during the Demo- 
cratic Convention period, there being a large number of woman 
suffrage agitators, mostly dressed in white with yellow about the waist 
and hat in some shape and a yellow umbrella completed their distin- 
guishing marks. They seem to be proud of showing a yellow streak, 
but our soldier boys who were forced to wear some yellow this sum- 
mer were very much humiliated. The yellow seems to indicate in 
some cases at least that the wearer of it lacks the necessary amount 
of principal to keep them from endeavoring to escape their duty when- 
ever an unpleasant one confronts them, and I must admit I think it an 
ideal woman suffrage emblem. I venture to .say that over 90 per cent 
of the money the woman suffrage agitators are spending in their dem- 
onstrations of that kind is money they never earned. It's money their 
husband has earned in many instances. You can look down the list of 
names of the agitators and find nearly every one of them is Mrs., otc. 
If their husband didn't let them have it, it is money they inherited or 
got in the form of alimony or breach of promise to marry, when per- 
haps, if the fact was known, they purposely or ignorantly did some- 
thing to cause the breach. Do you think their acts display knowledge 
and a desire to be fair and do their duty? Do they not owe it to some 
one to make better use of that time and money? 

Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, in a talk before a joint meeting of the 
City and Town Clubs here in St. Louis this year, declared that women 
will soon quit begging and demand justice from the men. In the face 
of all that men have done in this world to make it a more pleasant 
place to live and considering how little women have done to increase 
or help retain this worldly pleasure, does it not indicate a lack of good 
sense for a woman to complain, when the fact is she has thousands, if 
not millions, of things to help brighten life's pathway that we would 

18 



ANTI-WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND CRITICISMS. 

not have if <men were as unthoughtful and lacking in their efforts to 
make improvements as women are, and all of these blessings are for 
women as completely as they are for men. The woman who thinks she 
is being imposed upon by the men is ignorant or void of reason. Mrs. 
Catt also said, I tell you the question of giving the vote to women has 
passed the educational stage, for every man alive knows the vote 
neither unsexes women nor makes her less feminine. There is not a 
single argument left against giving the vote to women. We have won 
the man's reason, now we are going to make him open up his heart to 
us and give us justice. That sounds as wise as it would for her to say 
the United S'tates soldiers would have to all go home and stay there. 
In either case, it is evidence of lack of knowledge to want that which is 
injurious and absurd and false to say you are going to make some per- 
son do anything when you are too weak to enforce it. If she is so 
blind that she can not see even one argument against woman suffrage, 
she certainly needs a guardian. Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt was granted 
a decision by a Surrogate ruling in New York on May 9, 1916, which 
turns over a million dollars to her from the estate of the late Mrs. 
Frank Leslie. That money was bequeathed to Mrs. Catt to be used to 
promote the cause of suffrage. It's no wonder she can do many things. 
If my memory serves me right she came in possession of quite a large 
sum of money through the death of a husband, and I am quite sure that 
was her second one. Mrs. Catt is one of the class who has spent many 
thousands of dollars more than she ever earned. She and her follow- 
ers, estimated to be about four million, taking the stand that they will 
swing to any party that will support their constitutional amendment, 
regardless of what that particular party stands for, and thereby 
demonstrating that they believe their issue is of the greatest impor- 
tance shows again how blind they are to the best interests of our coun- 
try. Do we need such voters? I say they are more to be condemned 
than those Americans who place the desire of the nation where their 
forefathers were born, ahead of the interests of this country or ahead 
of that which is right and just. I would like to put an exclamation 
point in here that would look like T. R/s much talked-of big stick. 
This woman suffrage stumping is like hunting an imaginary hidden 
treasure. The ones in position to see the true result of its flndtajg" 
know it is like many other things; looks better while out of reach. It 
demonstrates high blood pressure or energy that they are almost forced 
to use. Lack of thoughtfulness or learning is the producer of such 
misdirected energy. 

What a tremendous effort some people make to accomplish things 
that mean their loss and a loss to others, and, as usual, a tremendous 
effort produces results; thus we find them making a wonderful success 
along the line of being a failure. 

19 



ANTI-WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND CRITICISMS. 

If we had more women like Madame Melba, the celebrated Aus- 
tralian soprano singer and stage woman, who announced some time 
about the first of this year (1916) that she had not even so much as 
bought a hat for herself since the beginning of the terrible European 
war, but willing to give her home at 91 Av. Henri Martin, Paris, tor a 
war hospital, and make every effort possible to secure doctors, nurses 
and other help that would donate their services in that home equipped 
with 100 beds; then after donating some $200,000 she started on a tour 
of many lands endeavoring to raise, through concert entertainments, 
enough to make her total donations reach the great sum of $500,000 for 
Red Cross work and not even discarding or laying aside her hobble 
skirts and generally out of date clothing. That is a true demonstra- 
tion of brotherly love, such as the Samaritan had and Jesus Christ 
taught in Luke 10:25-37, inclusive: And behold, a certain lawyer stood 
up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal 
life? (26) He said unto him, What is written in the law? How readest 
thou? (27) And he answering, said: Thou shalt love the Lord thy 
God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, 
and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself. (28) And he said 
unto him, Thou hast answered right; this do, and thou shalt live. (29) 
But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my 
neighbor? (30) And Jesus, answering, said: A certain man went 
down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which 
stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving 
him half dead. (31) And by chance there came down a certain priest 
that way; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. (32) 
And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on 
him, and passed by on the other side. (33) But a certain Samaritan, 
as he journeyed, came where he was; and when he saw him, he had 
compassion on him. (34) And went to him, and bound up his wounds, 
pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him 
to an inn, and took care of him. (35) And on the morrow when he de- 
parted, he took out two-pence, and gave them to the host, and said 
unto him: Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, 
when I come again, I will repay thee. (36) Which now of these three, 
thinkest thou, was neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves? 
(37) And he said: He that showed mercy on him. Then Jesus said 
unto him: Go and do thou likewise. 

Madame Melba is not the only good woman we have or ever did 
have on earth. Not by any means; there are many of them, but they 
are not found among the bunch who devote much time clamoring for 
votes for women. Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a noble woman. She 
has said that money obtained as a bribe; money stolen by whatever 
process; money accepted for a criminal act, or for work one has not 

20 



ANTI-WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND CRITICISMS. 

done; money claimed for breach of promise to marry; and alimony is 
shameful money. She also has stated it is vicious to make a living by 
the sale of illicit love and that it is ignominious to make a living by 
legitimate love, to be supported merely because one is a wife. But 
what degree of ignominy is that in which an ex-wife will take money 
from a man she no longer loves, legally or illegally, and to whom she 
no longer renders any service whatever? Should not any woman with 
the rudiments of a sense of honor, with a decent pride, prefer to work 
for a living, at any task whatever, to being reluctantly fed and clothed 
by an ex-husband? She also said that suppose the wife comes out of 
the matrimonial ship in a broken-down condition as a result of the 
marriage, that she should have damages from him the same as one 
would expect from a railroad for injuries received in an accident; but 
not alimony. Charlotte P. Gilman is showing good judgment in her 
argument. She is advocating the principals of justice such as would 
eliminate to a great extent the unjust decisions in favor of women for 
alimony and breach of promise extortions which are right in line or a 
close kin to blackmail, and tend to keep men of the most desirable type 
away from women of the right kind. A man of money knows that if he 
keeps company with a girl who is at least supposed to be a respectable, 
virtuous girl, he is taking a great chance of being sued for breach of 
promise to marry, whether such was the case or not, if he stops keep- 
ing company with her. The result is, he will go with one who is known 
to be a sport and perhaps very degraded, for he knows she could not 
make a breach of promise suit stick because it would be generally 
known that he nor anyone else would think of marrying her. Charlotte 
advocates many noble things, but I must get back to the subject of 
votes for women or the criticising of women and men who favor it. i 
have spoken of Charlotte because I admire her principles and want all 
to know I can see the good as well as the bad. 

I believe a man should support his children, if he has any, whether 
the mother of those children is dead or alive, regardless of whether 
she is with him or away from him, but if he supports them he should 
have the right to designate who is to take care of them, for I don't be- 
lieve it just for the mother and children to receive separate mainte- 
nance and have the mother continually telling the children what a 
scoundrel their father is, and many of her statements being false, as is 
sometimes the case. 

The delegates to the National American Woman Suffrage Associa- 
tion, in convention September 8, 1916, at Atlantic City, N. J., decided 
the next annual convention in 1917 be held in March or thereabout'; 
that a lobby be continued at Washington and that the association con- 
duct a nation-wide campaign of education, agitation, organization and 
publicity in support of the Federal amendment. They also decided to 

21 



ANTI-WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND CRITICISMS. 

raise a million-dollar campaign fund between October this year and 
October next year (1917). It is reported that on September 9 they 
raised a suffrage campaign fund of $818,800 in a half hour in cash and 
pledges. If they can donate like that does it not look like they have 
plenty of money and liberty? Why all the howl and complaint? It is a 
pity for women to be wasting time and money in such a way, especially 
at this time when there is so much suffering, which every effort in the 
world should be intended to help alleviate as far as possible, suffering 
that is so great that people are dying daily because they lack necessi- 
ties of life; and on account of the terrible war now raging cannot get 
them from their near neighbor. I don't believe the acts of women 
show them more likely than men to consider the golden rule as a guide 
for fhpii* A-Pt^j 

CONDITIONS' OF MARRIAGE FROM THE OHIO STATE JOURNAL. 
The co-eds of the University of Minnesota were interviewed by the 
college newspaper on "How much salary must a man receive before 
you would consent to marry him?" The replies ranged from $800.00 to 
$10,000.00 a year, and they all averaged $1,600.00. Beware of the girl 
who named $10,000.00 salary, for it implies a low estimate on herseir. 
The $800.00 girl would prove a much happier match. One peculiar 
thing about these answers was that a majority of the girls demanded 
that their future husbands should be good dancers, that they should 
know the latest steps; and one girl said, the desire of her heart was 
for a "dreamy dancer." That sort of requirement may occur to women, 
a few of them, but to men it is ridiculous. A man may be a good 
dancer and a good man, but it is not dancing that makes him so. Smok- 
ing was encouraged, but drinking was outlawed, while card playing 
was reduced to whist, though one girl would allow her husband to go 
among the boys to play poker once a week. Is that not expression of 
childish thoughts? Taking the testimony altogether, it is not strange 
that there are so many divorces, when we realize minds of that 
capacity determined to have their way, regardless of what their hus- 
band might think of it. In all fairness, do you not think the average 
woman compares with a man as a child from eight to fourteen would 
compare with its widow mother who has worked hard battling the rain, 
snow, heat and cold, early and late, and even risking her life in many 
hazardous ways in an effort to keep up the home because of the love 
she has for the child and its companionship? She wants that child to 
live in ease and comfort and tries to supply that which will make the 
home an enjoyable place. Do you think she has less love for the child 
because it wants to do things it should not do? Oh, no, not if it re- 
frains from doing such things after getting its mother's advice. The 
mother will just say the poor child could not see the evil results that 
are apt to result from such things, just as a man would say of his wife 

22 



ANTI-WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND CRITICISMS. 

if she made numerous mistakes, provided she did not insist on having 
her way against his wishes and instructions. Do you think the mother 
should let the child do any and everything it wants to just because it is 
helping some with the housework after God has given her the child 
and told her she is responsible for its acts? Do you think she is show- 
ing less love for the child if she compels it to submit to her rule? I 
don't; it's her plain duty, and because of her love for that child and 
having its welfare at heart, she should keep it as near the right track 
as possible by whatever means is necessary. She is going to permit 
it to do many things it should not do rather than hurt its feelings by 
stopping it, just as a man will a woman he loves. Do you think that 
child should go farther in the management of any of their affairs than 
to suggest? I don't, and that is exactly where woman belongs in this 
world. In either case, the less contention they cause the better they 
will be treated and the higher estimate will be placed on their judg- 
ment. Why don't women attempt to show by their actions how thank- 
ful they are for all the wonderful inventions the men have worked out 
and given to the world, instead of trying to get everything that's pos 
sible at his expense and then complaining about being mistreated. 
Such is very discouraging to men and indicates selfishness or lack of 
ability to think. It is generally admitted that the crop of old bachelors 
and old maids is increasing rapidly. We all know that is not the right 
way to live. How do we account for this increase? Some, perhaps, 
would say low wages and the high cost of living, but I believe it is 
principally due to the activity of the feministic movement that caused 
821 less marriage licenses to be issued in St. Louis in 1915 than in 1914, 
and an increase in divorces. 

At a meeting in Chicago during the first few days of September^ 
1916, the Commission of Bishops, Pastors and Laymen of an Episcopal 
Church decided to eliminate the word "obey" from the marriage cere- 
mony. How is it such bible students and men one would expect to teach 
and work for God's wishes will, instead, keep on yielding to women 
beyond the limit God has designated? Is that not proof that men are 
still willing to take a chance of even being banished from God by 
going beyond all reason in their efforts to please women? Still many 
women complain of being unjustly deprived of things they are en- 
titled to. 

Dr. Richard Bolt, who is a son of R. O. Bolt of 5610 Bartmer ave- 
nue, St. Louis, Mo., delivered a lecture at the City Club recently in 
which he stated that the Chinese women dress more sensibly and mod- 
estly than the women of any other country. Dr. Bolt is located In 
Peking, China. Is that not a deplorable condition to exist? Is it not 
time for men of the more enlightened countries to tell their wives and 
daughters what they must not wear, since so many of them have shown 

23 



ANTl-WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND CRITICISMS. 

such poor judgment in the manner of their dress? It's humiliating to 
the men to have to speak of such a thing, but it's worse to realize he is 
permitting it, which is equivalent to sanctioning it. 

Woman Suffrage advocates are not showing that they have well- 
balanced minds by continually annoying and threatening our govern- 
ment and state officials in their persistent efforts to gain votes for 
women. If they were not completely filled with selfishness and blind 
to the best interests of humanity and their duty, they would let up on 
the suffrage question at this time and turn their attention to aiding 
some one who perhaps is dying of starvation, through no fault of their 
own, if they have any time to spare after doing their duty at home. 
Our President and government officials have many very important 
questions to handle at all times and should not be interrupted unless 
some important question of a nature that cannot well be delayed is to 
be attended to. The very life of this country has been at stake many 
times during this present administration, and good judgment demands 
silence on trivial matters at such times, but we notice the woman 
suffrage advocates continually annoying and interrupting our officials. 

In a St. Louis paper of July 10th, 1916, under a heading "Contribu- 
tions for Aid of Militiamen's Families Sought," we find a very earnest 
appeal to the people of St. Louis for them to rally to the support of the 
ones dependent on 363 of the 1500 soldiers that left here recently for 
service at the Mexican border. Now, when we stop and think this mat- 
ter over, it looks ridiculous that such a large percentage of depend- 
ents could be found in need when a large number of the soldiers are 
not married and most of those who quit jobs to go had part or full 
salary coming to them from their employer for some length of time. 
Many of them were to receive such pay during the time of their service 
for the government. There was also a government salary of some 
amount. There is something radically wrong or there would not have 
been so many calls for help. No doubt some were in need and there Is 
no reasonable reason why they should not be kept from suffering if they 
were willing to try to help themselves. We who have been reading the 
papers know that the trains carrying the soldiers had scarcely got out 
of sight when cries went up for help for the dependents. Is that not an 
open acknowledgment that women are as dependent on men for their 
support as is a child at the age of twelve years? If such is the case, 
why should they have any more right to say how the affairs of this 
world should be run than the twelve-year-old child? Why do we toler- 
ate a law that entitles a woman to any of a man's property just be- 
cause she has been married to him, or one that makes it necessary for 
her to sign legal papers of any kind in his business affairs? Does not 
every fair-minded person who is twenty-five years old or older know 
that such as the above and the allowing of money for breach of prom- 

24 



ANTI-WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND CRITICISMS. 

ise and alimony have a great influence toward keeping men of knowl- 
edge or money from marrying, thus aiding in the destruction of a God- 
given ordinance of very great importance. There is no law to compel 
a man to marry, nor is it possible to compel him to keep on putting up 
with the unjust burdens that a large percentage of men find has been 
placed up on them by the one they loved enough to marry and believed 
that she loved him to the extent that she would treat him justly. 
Women have been let have their way and received so much easy money 
that it now is next to impossible for them to be fair and just. The one 
who earns the money is the one who should know what is being done 
with it, and it is out of place for the other to do more than suggest 
what be done with it. Suicides, homicides and murders are increasing 
rapidly; no doubt many of them are the result of lack of training in 
childhood. A child that is not given to understand that it must obey 
those who have a right to give it orders and that it cannot have every- 
thing it wants, will naturally become desperate when in later years it 
has to face the cold, stern problems of life and do many things it 
should not do, thereby causing itself and many who come within its 
sphere of influence much suffering and sometimes death. It has been 
said the hand that rocks the cradle shall rule the world, and I believe 
it's true, but not in the sense that some women suffrage agitators quote 
it. They would like to make everybody believe that means woman law- 
makers and woman rulers, but I believe most people will agree with 
me that the intended meaning of "the hand that rocks the cradle shall 
rule the world," is that the childhood training shapes the acts of the 
adult. Some will become wayward for a season, but most of those will 
stop some time in their reckless rush through life and make a firm 
resolution to do as mother taught them during their childhood days if 
they had a good mother, and the majority will never depart therefrom, 
thus placing the rocker of the cradle of today in charge of the world 
thirty years hence. 

In a St. Louis paper we find a statement from a Vandalia, 111., man 
who signs himself E. M. J. He claims to know some of the results of 
woman suffrage. He tells us in his statement that he was judge of 
election in one of their township elections and that out of eight or nine 
hundred legal voters in their precinct there were nearly five hundred 
voted and just three women, thus showing the small percentage in 
favor of woman suffrage there. The same writer tells of another of 
their city elections when it happened that they had about five hundred 
men and over three hundred women who voted. He said it was not 
strange that so many women voted that time, for one of the nice, sweet 
female voters as she came out of the voting place, showed three silver 
dollars and told several that was what she got for her vote, thus 
making it clear why so many women were voting that day. He also 

25 



ANTI-WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND CRITICISMS. 



states that at another election the vote catchers were informed where 
there were one male voter and five female voters in one house, so he 
hastened in his auto and learned they were there and that it took just 
thirty dollars to get them to vote, so that man left in disgust, but an« 
other of the opposing party called for them and they all came to the 
polls and voted. Where is the purifying of politics by votes of women? 
At least one woman has said that she thought the reason why women in 
general will resort to more unprincipled methods to secure money than 
men will, is due to their lack of earning power, and she might have 
added coupled with their almost unlimited desires. 

The women of Bast St. Louis, 111., were displeased because of a 
ruling of the Illinois Supreme Court last spring unseating Miss Josia 
Westfall as Judge of the City Court of Macomb, 111., because she was 
elected by women's votes. Women of Illinois cannot vote for the office 
of Judge, according to the ruling. Have women ever shown that they 
are broad-minded, deep thinkers, such as a Judge should be? If so, I 
would like to know where and when. I do not blame them for that, for 
it's no fault of theirs, but it unfits them for the office. God has 
specially designed and designated and capacitated women to deal with 
children and help in the home, which is her domain. We are all aware 
that the majority of the women of the U. S. A. do not want to vote and 
would not even if they could, except for money. Even the most radical 
suffragist feels sure such is the case, and that if the women had a vote 
on it they would vote it out of their own hands. In country districts it 
is a difficult matter for men to vote, and women of such districts would 
nearly all remain away from the polls; we would thus be deprived of 
the vote from the country women, who are living nearer a Godly life 
than any other class of women we can find. We would in this way 
have principally the undesirable class of women that appear in all 
cities, always striving to corrupt and lead to destruction such things 
and people as would have a good chance to be right, had it not been for 
their influence; therefore, votes for women would degrade politics, for 
a large number of the best women in the cities would not vote. We 
should show by our words and deeds that we are trying to improve the 
conditions of this world, and there is no more essential act than to op- 
pose votes for women first, last, and all the time. With the granting of 
votes for women comes a modification in the attitude of tenderness and 
courtesy toward women. The attitude of courtesy toward women loses 
in proportion to the advance of the feministic movement. The people 
who have the greatest number of things to complain about (mostly 
imaginary) are those who spend much time in idleness or something 
worse. If they would only get busy on some job which is beneficial to 
themselves and others, many of their grievances would be forgotten 
and everybody would be happier. Peace of mind is perhaps the one 

26 



ANTI-WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND CRITICISMS. 

thing most to be desired on earth, and is perhaps the one thing that is 
nearest attained by not making any special effort to get it. In other 
words, you can gain more of it by attempting to accomplish something 
else. God has placed within us a desire for the companionship of one 
of the opposite sex, one to whom we can go for consolation at all times, 
and who can at all times be depended upon to assist as though the other 
was a part of the one body composed of two parts. We only have to 
read the daily papers to see where one after another commit suicide on 
account of the loss of this God-ordained companionship, life is not com- 
plete without it; therefore we should attempt to frame our laws in such 
a manner as are necessary to aid and encourage marriage. Our laws 
should give men absolute control, for that is what God gave him, and if 
a woman had no legal right to argue a point or question with her hus- 
band, she would seldom take the chance of attempting to argue, and 
we would have homes without contention and the women would get far 
better treatment and be more respected by all. We all know that it's 
natural for a man to do all in his power to make things pleasant for a 
woman he likes or loves, unless she aggravates him by overstepping 
her rightful privileges. The man who accepts the bonds of matrimony 
under our present laws, is taking a more hazardous risk than he would 
be if he sold himself into the bondage of slavery. If the woman fails to 
do her duty and makes life so miserable for the husband that he can 
stand it no longer the only recourse he has is the divorce court. Hte 
perhaps has accepted her promises that she never would fail to do her 
duty again if he would only forgive and forget the past, and pleaded 
earnestly for him to do that, and time after time she does everything 
in her power to cause him to lose money and have trouble until finally, 
destitute of worldly goods and broken in health, he leaves. She 
then sues him for support and he can count himself lucky if he does 
not have to serve a term in jail or a workhouse sentence for not suffi- 
ciently supporting that woman while he is endeavoring to save 'enough 
money to pay costs in the enforced divorce action. He also finds that 
he cannot sue her for a divorce until he pays an attorney fee for her 
side of the case and perhaps some other costs for her if she claims 
she is short of funds to protect herself. Does it look reasonable that 
a man who knew the hazardous risk and the weight of the shackles he 
is forced to accept when he takes unto himself a wife would ever take 
such a chance? Who is to blame for the greater part of the family 
quarrels, separations and divorces? Also, for those who never marry. 
If I was to answer that question I would say those who have made so 
many ungodly and unjust laws. Is it not time to give this matter 
some serious, prayerful consideration, asking ourselves: are we a 
party to something that is worse than war, and that is what I believe 
our domestic condition is today. They are such that there is no such 

27 



ANTI-WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND CRITICISMS. 

thing as for the average man to be happy. He can't be happy and con- 
tented single unless he is a shallow bunch of frivolity, and owing 
to our unjust laws he can't be happy married unless he has been 
unusually fortunate in getting a good wife. God has placed within 
men a desire to comply with the wishes of a woman if she will only let 
her desire be known to him in a spirit of meekness instead of in the 
form of a demand; to comply to a demand is either an act portraying 
cowardice or subjection or to acknowledge you failed to do your duty 
and in all such cases you are robbed of the pleasure there should be 
in the doing if not placed where it is a disagreeable task. 

The more we force people to do, the greater robbers we are, for we 
have robbed them of all the pleasure there should have been in the 
doing of those things. We should have a system of teaching people 
their duty more clearly and less laws to force them to do things. 

If men decide it would be nearer right and just for women to vote 
and want to please them they should let the women cast their votes 
for and against woman suffrage and if they favor it compel them to 
share equally with the men all responsibilities and burdens of life, be- 
cause it is unjust to place authority one place and the responsibility in 
another. They should forfeit all claims on men for support and all 
shares in the man's property and declare themselves equal and inde- 
pendent. She should have no courtesy shown her on account of her 
sex, for that is equality. If they were getting the worst of the deal 
in any way then there might be some reason to complain, but such is 
not the case. Men have tried to honor and respect women as their 
superior in modesty and refinement, but it looks like they are deter- 
mined to step down that step and mix in politics, a place which is only 
a step or two from the lowest on earth in most cases of voting and 
holding small offices. Thus they would lose the most valuable asset 
they have, that being the estimate man places on woman's superior 
refinement and modesty. Everybody should try to excel in some 
specialized undertaking and thereby have a redeeming feature. The 
women accepting the duty of bearing children and rearing them and 
engaged in domestic and home making matters have never to any 
great extent conceived an idea that they were deprived of any right 
or not represented because they do not vote. It's usually the society 
women who have squandered time and money at clubs and parties who 
do the complaining. Nearly everything there is in this world to make 
it more pleasant to live in is either the gift of God direct or througjh 
men. Therefore, if women in the face of all these facts are still going 
to complain don't it look like it is the rankest foolishness to try to 
please them? It would be impossible. They spend great sums of 
money trying to keep up with society and style. I class that wasteful- 
ness as one of the devil's great harvest fields. All women should be 

28 



ANTI-WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND CRITICISMS. 

married. It's God's plan. They should obey their husbands; it's God's 
plan. Then if they did vote their vote should be the same as their 
husband's. The result is then only changed to the extent that the ex- 
pense of elections would be about double and the returns delayed. 
The rough element of women would be sure to be there, so if it would 
be possible to keep up the standard of purity of the polls the better 
class or classes would be forced to be there. I had the pleasure of at- 
tending a meeting in Sheldon Memorial, 3646 Washington boulevard, 
one evening last winter. The object of the meeting was to bring pres- 
sure to bear on the heads of our government to intercede for the Jews 
in Russia and other countries where they are not enjoying equal rights 
although they are helping the country in all possible ways even to giv- 
ing their lives on the battle field. We heard some very good talks by 
four men; then to my surprise some woman was given the floor and 
during her very short talk which was all about women and their rights, 
she said that women suffered most by wars; also that if women ever 
had a say there would be no wars. That they were kind-hearted and 
full of sympathy, especially for women and children. 

If so, why are they not putting all their spare energy in the line of 
relief work now instead of spending the money (that in most cases) 
some man has earned and time clamoring for something that cannot 
benefit anyone? 

Would just like to ask such women if they are unable to see that 
woman's hardships in time of war is only equal to the man's duties in 
time of peace. How long would they last in the trenches, perhaps in 
the mud and rain and the snow, continually exposed to shot and shell 
and the roar of the cannon, and undesirable food and a shortage of 
sleep. Such is man's life in time of war while the women are back 
from the firing line with a house for shelter and beds to sleep in, etc. 
Is it not unreasonable to state that women suffer most in time of war 
(that is if she meant women suffer more than men) ? Would like to 
ask them how they will keep from having wars? Is it to be peace at 
any price? If so, that is far worse than war, but that is not the way 
they act at home. The ideal of man's relationship toward woman is 
that of protection and husbandry. Many women who advocate votes 
for women have so many fanciful and unattainable delusions that it 
helps to prove how brainless they are. No equal suffrage state so far 
as I can learn has any more beneficial laws than the states where they 
are denied the ballot. 

It is naturally in a human to aid the weak or overburdened that 
come to their notice, and it is likewise as firmly if not more so set in 
us to withdraw our aid as soon as that unfortunate shows that it fails 
to see that it has received anything and tells the one or those who have 
been doing so much for it that we are equal and I can do anything 

29 



ANTI-WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND CRITICISMS. 

you can and demands other things. Such is the case with woman 
suffragists. The more they try to push to the level the nearer they 
will get to it and if ever attained they will find ever increasing hard- 
ships and the lowering of the standard of habits of both men and 
women. If people cannot live harmoniously as man and wife the re- 
sult will be that they will quit marrying and many will look for free 
love with no responsibilities and the children will be reared in disgrace 
as orphans to help increase the reform school attendance, perhaps; as 
is the case with the children of divorced people I believe it's about 
sixty per cent of the children in the reform schools are those of di- 
vorced parents. 

A husband has a legal right to caress his wife and to lay her across 
his knee and spank her soundly if she repulses his affectionate ad- 
vances. This was the decision made by Magistrate Steers in Brook- 
lyn a short time ago when Mrs. Katherine Becker appeared against 
her husband Charles, arraigned on a charge of assault. About a week 
ago she got sore, said Becker. She resisted my affections. I tried to 
put my arm around her and she slapped my face. I just laid her over 
my knee and spanked her good and hard. The court ordered Becker's 
discharge, declaring a man had a right to be affectionate with his own 
wife, and to spank her if she repulsed him. I feel that Magistrate 
Steers is entitled to a great deal of praise for that decision, for it, no 
doubt, is as just as though it was direct from God. I hope the time 
will come when the law of the land will uphold a man who uses any 
means necessary to get his wife to do his bidding just so the man 
is not demanding unreasonable things. The husband certainly is en- 
titled to rule the entire home. That is a reasonable and God-given 
authority and the wife should not be allowed to argue the question any- 
where except in court, that being the only way a home can run smooth- 
ly. As long as men are expected to support homes it is reasonable 
that they be the head and do the voting for it. The affairs of men 
are no longer within their control. Women insist on meddling with 
men's affairs and men permit it to quite an extent in an attempt to 
evade contention, but it creates a feeling of righteous resentment in 
the minds of the well informed, thoughtful men. We should remem- 
ber or realize we are all sailing in one boat here and that we have been 
assigned to our respective places by our creator and master and to 
desert our post of duty even by comparatively few causes a great deal 
of discomfort to all and may lead to eternal destruction. 

Our duty must not be lightly considered if we are to be a benefit to 
this world instead of a thorn in the flesh or a stumbling block over 
which some will fall to everlasting destruction after a life of misery. 
Is it expected by those who favor woman suffrage that before a woman 
is elected to an office where she will associate in a business way with 

30 



ANTI-WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND CRITICISMS. 

men that she will have to agree to wear clothing that conforms to cer- 
tain rules or measurements or do they expect we will pass restrictive 
laws to govern the woman office holder's manner of dress and general 
habits :so they will not appear for duty with a calcimine complexion 
tinted with great care, cheese-cloth shirtwaists and elaborately puffed 
hair, abbreviated skirts and striped stockings, and judging from the 
past, we see plainly there is no way of even making a good guess at 
what they will do and still claim they are dressed in a manner which 
entitles them to the respect due a modest lady. 

We all know people are human and have a natural desire for the 
companionship of the opposite sex and that many office holders are 
away from home quite a long time attending to the duties of their of- 
fice and there is danger of the mind drifting away from the business the 
people are paying them to attend to, and fall a victim of animal de- 
sires under such circumstances. 

Do the thinking men of this country not think their wives would be 
more content with them in an office where women have no place. 

Do they not also know that it's next to impossible to keep the mind 
uninterruptedly on business where mixed sexes compose the member- 
ship? 

Look before you leap or you may splash mud and slime on your best 
friends when you light. 

Don't do things blindly nor because others want you to. 

If that is your position on any amendment that is being voted on 
vote against it. 

If after careful study and consideration you believe it to be right 
and beneficial, vote for it, but not otherwise. 

ROBT. C. WALSH. 



31 



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